Joey Smallwood

Who was Joey Smallwood?

Joseph Roberts "Joey" Smallwood, PC, CC was a politician from Newfoundland, Canada. He was the main force that brought the then Dominion of Newfoundland into the Canadian confederation in 1949, becoming the first Premier of Newfoundland, serving until 1972. As premier, he vigorously promoted economic development, championed the welfare state, and emphasized modernization of education and transportation. Smallwood abandoned his youthful socialism and collaborated with bankers, turning against the militant unions that sponsored numerous strikes. The results of his efforts to promote industrialization were mixed, with the most favourable results in hydroelectricity, iron mining and paper mills.

Smallwood was charismatic and controversial. Never shy, he dubbed himself "the last Father of Confederation." While many Canadians today remember Smallwood as the man who brought Newfoundland into the Canadian Confederation, the opinion held by Newfoundlanders and their diaspora remains sharply divided as to his legacy.